


Promise Me

by cassisms (satomobiles)



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Cassunzel Week (Disney), Cassunzel Week 2020 (Disney), F/F, Mutual Pining, Pining, Secret Affair, Stolen Kiss, The Lost Lagoon, alcohol mention, anyway theyre married, lost lagoon era, sorry eugene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25405438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satomobiles/pseuds/cassisms
Summary: When Eugene's revelry at a parlor soiree gets to be too much, Cass takes Rapunzel to the Lagoon. Little does she know, Rapunzel has something to tell her.Day 2 of Cassunzel Week 2020: Promises & Secrets.
Relationships: Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Cassandra/Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Cassunzel - Relationship
Comments: 14
Kudos: 104





	Promise Me

**Author's Note:**

> im such a sappy romantic

_“Promise me, please, Rapunz—“_

_“I promise, Cass.”_

The words were snuffed from her lips and she was left to stare, dumbly, into those emerald eyes. Rapunzel took Cassandra’s bare hand, naked now, for she had so carefully plucked the glove that had hid it; the princess held it, and her grasp was so warm, Cassandra wished she could feel that warmth always.

The princess placed her hand atop her chest, where Cassandra’s pale fingers could touch where the blushed skin of her bosom met pink lace: Those laces that she, herself, had tightened that very morning. Cassandra believed she could die, here and now.

The mossy cliff atop the secret shore was to be their haven. Around them, the buzzes of summer insects filled the silence; but if they were missing, she thought, the pounding of their hearts would do well enough to fill it.

Eugene would be wondering where they went.

How had they gotten here? The little day of revelry—yet another of Corona’s oh-so special celebrations followed by its frivolous parties; Rapunzel was surely growing used to them by now, because Cassandra was growing tired. She was tired of them before she had any direct part to play. The princess was overwhelmed—and excited—and scared—and her lady-in-waiting was the arm to lean on through it all.A kitten-like whirlwind of emotions that played over, again and again, sunrise to sunset, and she had the duty of fostering that whirlwind to be the very best.

It was easier without him. Oh, it was obvious he didn’t like her. Fortunately, she had the King’s disapproval on her side.

Coronans enjoyed their parties, and Eugene Fitzherbert enjoyed them a little too much. The dinner was splendid, the desserts divine. Out rolled a little pairing, a sweetwine to go so nicely with the ganache, for it caused such lovely banter amongst the Court and its humble guests.

But Eugene was all too enthusiastic, and the timid, naïve Rapunzel was quickly snatched into his playful arms, and she giggled, of course, and in her selfish jealousy, she hated it. The handmaiden had no choice but to watch, only to see the glint of nerves when Rapunzel turned her cheek at Eugene’s playful whispers… and meet Cass’s gaze, from across the room.

She needed only that glance to know to step in.

“Your Majesty, if I may,” she started, carefully approaching the King’s side. Frederick was laughing, boisterous, as he laughed most at his parties.

“Cassandra,” Queen Arianna spoke, and her voice held concern. She was ever aware of her daughter’s handmaiden, so much so that Cassandra often lost her words in her presence. The Queen tapped her husband’s shoulder, and he turned, goblet aloft.

“Eh, what? Oh, yes, Cassandra, what is it?”

“Pardon my interruption, your Majesty, it’s just—“ She glanced again to Rapunzel and Eugene. “I fear your daughter’s beau may have fancied his drink too much, and I worry he’s making her uncomfortable with his… ill advances.”

Nothing was quite like instilling the protective bond of the lost princess’s father. Hands balled into fists, he growled: Fitzherbert. To Cass’s secret delight, he summoned the guards. She wished she could be the one to remove him, herself. Such selfish thoughts had to be put aside when she watched Rapunzel from across the parlor, a nervous fist to her chest, wondering what she must have possibly done wrong.

That answer was nothing, and Cassandra was going to tell her.

The girls closed the space between them in an instant.

_“Rapunzel—”_

_“Cass—“_

_“Let’s leave.”_

_“Okay.”_

The handmaiden took her princess by the arm and tugged her away, out of that velvet room that smelled of chocolate and wine. French doors led them to a small, marble balcony, dripping in hydrangea and ivy and lit only by the curtains drawn about the windowed threshold. But it was not enough, Rapunzel said; she had to get away from it all, in that same way she had the first night—when the ex-thief had dared to propose. Cassandra knew there was only one place they could go where they would be truly alone.

And now, here they were. Back to the lost lagoon.

Their lagoon, where they had spent many a carefree day and night this season; only now, it felt different. Different and secret and strange.

And Rapunzel’s eyes shone so beautifully in the milky moonlight, Cassandra was all but drowning in them as she listened, ever attentive. The party, she said, was too much, and Eugene was too much—she should enjoy his flirtations, and his touches—many times she had come to her handmaiden with such concerns. Shouldn’t I enjoy it? I am his girlfriend, it should feel good and fun, even! So why am I always so nervous? Why don’t I feel the way I should? The way I’ve read about? _Be rid of him, then!_ Cassandra ached to shout. Cassandra ached to shout many things. She knew she could not, for those were not words she could put in the princess’s mouth. It was not a handmaiden’s place to say. Not a handmaiden whose coveted, stolen glances kept her up at night with nought but the heat of her heart and the loneliness of her bed to bring about such heartache-thoughts she must keep to herself, locked and buried, for fear of the worst.

“I don’t think I love him.”

Suddenly, the world fell to a stop.

All at once she felt dizzy and heavy, like she may lose her balance and fall into the dark water below.

“Cass…”

The surprise on her face was stark, the moonlight only accentuated the death-like pallor of her face.

“I thought I did, you know, before… And now, I don’t know what to think.”

 _Before? Before what?_ The voice in her head screamed. Rapunzel’s gaze was, in an instant, too much. It was much easier to focus on the lagoon. Even its usual gem-like surface was rippling in a new breeze, the whole earth disrupted, their reflections quivering.

It was uncertain how much time passed in this way.

“Please, say something, Cass.”

Her gaze snapped back. She looked hurt. Vulnerable, a scared pup on the stoop. Cassandra dared to ask, but it took everything to speak, and her voice sounded hoarse. “Before, what?”

The princess blinked, as if to say, How can you not know? “Well… before I met you, Cass.”

Something in Cassandra’s eyes darkened, and she took a step back.“You don’t know what you’re saying, Princess.”

And how could she, possibly?

“I think I do, and I think I’ve known ever since I saw you, out there in that field. You remember that day, don’t you?”

“Of course I do.”

Rapunzel reached out to take her hand, but Cassandra turned away. She gripped the leather strap across her chest, that held up the sword on her back. It all at once felt heavier, a burden she could not bear. “You can’t possibly understand what it feels like, to…”

“…To be in love?”

Cassandra kept her back to the princess.

“I think I know it very well. Or, I’m starting to.” The words had not offended her, though she had every right to be. It was a selfish thing to say. “I know how I feel when I’m with you. And… I think you feel it, too.”

_Perhaps I do._

Cassandra pulled the strap over her head and let her sheathed sword fall to the ground. Her knees soon followed, to meet the cool moss.

“Cass… Please, don’t cry.”

Rapunzel was knelt before her in the next instant, cupping her face, wiping a tear with a graceful fingertip.

“Rapunzel, you can’t tell anyone about this, or we’ll never see each other again, they’ll—I’ll—“

“I wouldn’t let that happen.”

“Promise me, please, Rapunz—“

“I promise, Cass.”

The words were snuffed from her lips and she was left to stare, dumbly, into those emerald eyes. Rapunzel took her bare hand, naked now, for she had so carefully plucked the glove that had hid it; she held it, and her slender hands were so warm, Cassandra wished she could feel that warmth always.

The princess placed her hand atop her chest, where Cassandra’s pale fingers could touch where the blushed skin of her bosom met pink lace.

Rapunzel’s heart was beating so fast, almost as fast as her own, and she knew that pounding was what Rapunzel had wanted her to feel: The truth so painfully hidden in both of their chests, and she, herself, was burning, and drowning, all at once.

The warm breeze blew a pesky strand of blonde across the princess’s eyes. Cassandra brushed it back, but lingered, and Rapunzel turned into her palm to seek a caress, so her red lips may delicately brush her handmaiden’s thumb. The blue stone tied so securely to her naked wrist glistened, and Rapunzel hummed.

“I want to kiss you, Raps.”

“I think I want that, too, Cass.”

“Promise?”

Rapunzel couldn’t help a soft giggle, and Cassandra believed it to be the most genuine, beautiful sound she had ever heard.

“Promise.”

She choked back a sob. Her hand so carefully moved to cup her chin, leaning closer and closer still and Rapunzel was positively glowing, she could only watch in wonder the gorgeous subtleties of her expression, which she knew would be burned into her mind for every passing day to come.

“Cass…”

Rapunzel’s lips parted; eyes fluttered closed, as she drew herself tighter into Cassandra’s embrace. Those delicate fingers now clenched at her broad shoulders. Cassandra inhaled, and her heart caught in her throat as she met the soft warmth of the princess’s lips, her princess, hers.

_Oh God, what have we done?_


End file.
